Outdoor kitchen masonry in San Jose, CA - a block island built to hold your grill
Want a grill and counters out back? We build the island in block on a solid slab, so a built-in grill sits in it safely.
What goes into building a masonry outdoor kitchen island?
Outdoor kitchen masonry in San Jose is the island your grill, burners and countertop sit in, built in concrete block on a concrete slab and faced in stone or brick so it looks finished and safely holds a built-in grill.
Most people who call have a grill picked out, or at least a spot on the patio, and want to know what it takes to build around it. The price mostly moves with the size and shape of the island, whether there's a slab to pour, the finish you pick and how many appliances get cut in. The schedule usually turns less on the block work than on what waits around it, like the countertop being made, the gas line being run and inspected, and dry weather for the finish. I'll come out, measure and write up what I found and what we'd build, so you're working from your own yard and not a guess.
How we build outdoor kitchen masonry
I start by measuring the space and laying out the island around the grill and anything else you've chosen, because the block has to be built to their cut-outs. Then we pour a solid concrete slab, and our masons build the island in concrete block on it so it can safely hold a grill set into it. We plan the order so the gas line can be inspected while it's still in view, before any block, stone or countertop covers it. After that we put on the finish, set the countertop once it's ready and clean up.
Most outdoor kitchens need a way to get to them and something around them. We often pair the island with walkway construction from the back door, so the path and the kitchen are planned at the same height, and with brick wall installation for a low seat wall or backdrop faced to match the island.
Stone veneer over block
Stone veneer is the finish most people pick, with stone set in mortar over metal lath fastened to the block. It suits you if you want a stone look, because the block underneath carries the grill and the counter while the stone stays a facing.
Brick facing to match the house
A brick face suits a house that already has brick on it, or a yard with a brick wall or path you'd like the island to match. Older brick is what we're best known for, so I'll look at your existing brick and its mortar color before we choose.
San Jose rules that shape outdoor kitchen masonry
If your outdoor kitchen has a gas line, the City of San José requires a mechanical permit, a plumbing permit or both to put it in, and all new gas piping has to be inspected before it's covered. That rule is why we build in the order described above, with the gas run left open until the inspector has seen it. Some unincorporated pockets inside San Jose fall under the County of Santa Clara for permits, so if your house sits in one, you apply to the county instead, and I check which office covers your address first. When a job needs a permit, we check with that office before we start, apply for it as the licensed contractor and meet the inspector on site.
We're based in San Jose and work across the city and the cities around it. Plenty of backyards here already have a patio slab, and I check how it's held up before building on it, because an older patio often wasn't poured with a block island and a grill in mind. We see the same mix of older patios and new yards on jobs in Campbell and Santa Clara.
Block and stone kitchen islands
Why call us for outdoor kitchen masonry
In business since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, and many of our calls are from people planning a new wall, walkway or outdoor kitchen. I come out to look at the job myself and take the measurements, so the plan starts from your yard.
Our masons, checked as built
Our own masons build the island, and I check the work as it goes up. That matters on this job because the block and slab end up under stone and a countertop, where nobody sees them again.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured. San Jose only takes a contractor's permit application when it matches their California license class, so at the estimate I'll ask who's licensed to run and permit your gas line.
Backed by our satisfaction guarantee
Backed by our satisfaction guarantee. If something about the island bothers you while it's going up, point it out, because that's the easiest time to talk it through.
On an outdoor kitchen, getting the order of the build right matters most, so send us your plans or call (669) 234-3391 and I'll come out to look.
(669) 234-3391Request an on-site estimate for your outdoor kitchen
Send a rough layout, the grill you have in mind, whether a gas line is planned and whether your house sits in an unincorporated county pocket. We reply within one business day, then I come out, measure, take photos and write up what I found and what we'd do. The estimate is free, and there's no pressure to book.
Outdoor kitchen questions from San Jose homeowners
Do I need a permit for a gas line to my grill island in San Jose?
Yes. The city requires a mechanical permit, a plumbing permit or both to put in or change gas piping, and in the unincorporated pockets the county issues it instead. Settle early who's running and permitting the line, because the island has to stay open until the new piping is inspected.
How long does an outdoor kitchen build take?
One national pricing guide puts the masonry for a standard L-shaped outdoor kitchen at 7 to 12 working days, with a 2 to 3 week lead time to make the countertop. The whole project runs longer, since other trades have to be scheduled around it. Weather can add days too, because one stone veneer maker calls for laying it at 40°F or warmer and keeping it out of rain and freezing for 48 hours.
Can a wood-framed island hold a built-in grill?
Not as it stands. One grill maker's install guide says its built-in grills need a non-combustible island, such as stone, brick, stainless steel or concrete block, and wood framing works only with fire-rated insulation and liner kits. A block island meets that without the extra kit, which is one reason we build in block.
Who can do masonry work on an outdoor kitchen in California?
A licensed masonry contractor, outside of very small jobs. The state licensing board's masonry class covers installing concrete units, block, and natural and manufactured stone, which is what an island is built from. The minor work exemption tops out at $1,000 and applies only when the job needs no permit and the person doing it employs no one.
How much does outdoor kitchen masonry cost in San Jose?
Your price comes from the size and shape of the island, whether we need to pour a slab, the finish and how many appliances get cut in. A longer run, a corner and a stone face all add work, while a short straight island with a simple face keeps it down. Your own figure comes from the estimate, after I've measured.
What is the best way to vent a block grill island?
Follow the install guide for your grill, because the vent rules come from the maker. One maker's guide requires at least two vents in the island, whether it's built of combustible or non-combustible material. Choose your grill before we lay out the block, so we can plan the cut-out and the vents around it.
Plan your grill island, walkway and seat wall with us
Call (669) 234-3391 before you order the grill or countertop, so the island gets sized around both instead of the other way around.
